Bogie-wheel shaft lubrication system

Abstract

In a suspension system assembly for the resiliently biased rolling support of an endless track on a vehicle chassis, a trailing frame assembly is provided for pivotally supporting wheels mounted for rotation one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the chassis. The wheels are resiliently urged downwardly and forwardly with respect to the vehicle against the inner surface of an endless track of a vehicle, such as a snowmobile. The system comprises a trailing frame assembly including a tubular sleeve that is pivotally attached to the vehicle chassis by means of a cylindrically shaped bearing shaft that has axial passages extending from grease fittings at the opposite bolt mounting ends of the shaft inwardly for communication with diametrically extending passages opening to the outer surface of the shaft for communicating grease for lubrication of the interface between the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the tubular sleeve.

What is claimed is as follows: 
     
       1. A suspension assembly for the resiliently biased rolling support of an endless track on a vehicle chassis, said suspension assembly comprising: first and second trailing frame assemblies, each having a pair of axially spaced tubular sleeves at one end; said frame assemblies being positioned such that said tubular sleeves are axially aligned and alternately positioned;   a cylindrically spaced bearing shaft positioned through said axially aligned tubular sleeves;   bolts extending through said chassis and axially into threaded engagement with the opposite ends of said shaft to secure said shaft to said chassis and for pivotally attaching said trailing frame assemblies to said chassis, said bolts having longitudinal through bores;   spaced supports rotatably carried by the other end of each of said trailing frame assemblies such that said supports are capable of free rotating movement with respect to its associated trailing frame assembly;   means which cooperate with said trailing frame assemblies to resiliently urge said supports downwardly with respect to said vehicle against the inner surface of said track;   said bearing shaft having first and second noncommunicating axial passageways opening respectively at the opposite ends of said bearing shaft and communicating with the inner ends of said bolt bores; and   grease fittings carried at the outer ends of said bolt bores and communicating with said shaft first and second axial passages, each of said axial passages extending from its associated grease fitting into said shaft to intersect with a plurality of axially spaced diametrically extending passages opening at one side of said shaft at locations corresponding to the locations of said axially spaced tubular sleeves for communicating grease stored within said axial passages to the outer surface of said shaft for providing lubrication of the interface between the outer surface of said shaft and the inner surface of said tubular sleeves.   
     
     
       2. The suspension assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said means for resiliently urging said supports comprises springs mounted upon said tubular sleeves, said springs being held in part by said trailing frame assembly.